Igniter for explosive-engines.



APPLIOATIOHTILBD MAR. 10, 1902.

. no MODEL.

a 0 2 W I My w 2 a 7 w MW a 6 Y 1 llll fave 72*50 7" "m2 mums PETERS cu FHOTGLITHQ. WASHINGON, u c.

Patented. June 23, 1903. PATENT OFFI E.

TH,OMAS B. JEFFERY, OF KENOSHA, \VISCONSIN.

IGNITER FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 31,781. dated June 23, 1903. Application filed March 10, 1902. Serial No. 97,44 1. (No model.)

To a, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. J EFFERY, a citizen of the United States, residing and having'post-office address at Kenosha, county of Kenosha, and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Igniters for Explosive-Motors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof. 7 The purpose of this invention is to provide a novel means of causing the ignition of an explosive gaseous mixture in an explosive-engine, and specifically to provide an ignition means to cause the said ignition by catalytic action.

It consists in provisions inthe structure by which the catalytic agent whose excitation causes the ignition may be moved in the excitant gas to increase the eifect of the gas upon it; and specifically it consists in means for so moving the catalytic agent that it may be brought to position for exposing its most excited portion to the explosion-gas at proper time for producing the explosion.

It consists also in means for secluding the catalytic agent at the time or times when it should not be operative upon the explosiongas.

It consists, further, in features of construction particularly designed for giving access to the catalytic agent and for aifording means for preliminarily heating it for exciting it and v in specific expedients for causing its 'movement through the gas to excite it to the highest degree.

It comprises other features of construction which are set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of an expl0sive-motor embodying my invention, partly sectional, section being made axially through the cylinder. Fig. 2 is a partlysectional detail elevation of the carrier for the catalytic element, the latter being removed therefrom, section being made in the plane of the ducts or passages by which the gas is directed against the catalytic agent.

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the catalytic agent removed from the carrier.

The motor shown in the drawings comprises a cylinder 1, which is mounted on the shell of the frame 2, in which the crank 3 of at the end of the cylinder.

the main shaft 4 revolves and within which and mounted upon which are the several parts of the train by which desired movement is given to the means for giving the catalytic element its travel.

5 may represent the compression-chamber 6 is a motor-piston operating in said cylinder or piston-chamber, the pitman 7, connecting the crank 3 to the piston 6,extendin g within the hollow back of the piston in the customary manner.

8 is a piston-chamber auxiliary to and communicating with the main piston chamber and practically constituting a continuation of the compression and explosion chamber 5, with the main portion of which, at the end of the cylinder 1, it communicates through a free port 9.

10 is the inlet connection for the motor-gas, said inlet being connected so as to have comanunication .with the motor-cylinder by way of and through the auxiliary chamber 8. A check-valve 11, held to its seat byspring 12 and opening inward, permits the entrance of the motive gases and prevents back discharge. In the auxiliary chamber 8 there is a carrier for a catalytic element in the form of a piston 13, operated by a stem 14, which extends out at one end of the auxiliary chamber and is operated by connection with the motor-by means hereinafter described. The piston 13 is reduced at the end opposite that from which the stem extends, and at said reduced por tion 15 it is encircled by the catalytic ele- -ment 16, which is a sleeve of veryfine meshed platinum-wire gauze. This sleeve is retained onthe neck or reduced portion 15 of the piston 13 between the two slight shoulders which bound said neck at opposite ends. The end of the chamber 8 opposite that through which the piston emerges is closed by a removable hood 17. This hood has a cavity 18 of suitable size to receive the reduced terminal of the piston and catalytic sleeve thereon. Around the margin of the mouth of the cavity 18 the hood is provided with a seat 19for the end of the piston, which is formed at 20 with the beveled shoulder to match said seat. The means for giving said piston 13 its movement are adapted to thrust it to the limit of the chamber, which is hooded, as described, and so to thrust the terminal carrying the catalytio sleeve element into the hood and by the same movement seat the shoulder 20 of the piston on the seat 19, and thus completely seclude the catalytic element in the hood. From the opposite ends of the piston ducts 21 21 lead through its stem into the reduced neck 15, where they meet and discharge laterally through an aperture 23. This construction causes the movement of the piston in withdrawing from the hood to produce a current of gas through the ducts 21 and its discharge through the aperture 23 against and through the catalytic sleeve encompassing the neck, with the effect of highly exciting the catalytic element at the point of such discharge of gas against and through it. The aperture 23 is located on the side of the pistonneck toward the motor-piston chamber and in position such that it passes directly in front of the port 9 in the travel of the carrier-piston 13. The movement of the carrier in the opposite direction, it will be understood, exposes the entire catalytic element to the gas, with the same effect as if the gas were blown against it, thus tending to excite it generally throughout its entire area, the excitation which is caused by the gas discharged through the ducts against the particular spot of the catalytic sleeve opposite the aperture 23 being in excess of the general excitation of the whole sleeve and tending to produce an intense heat at that particular spot for the purpose of causing the ignition when that spot is presented at the aperture 9 at the proper time in the cycle of the motors actionthat is, when the compression of the gases of explosion in the compression-stroke of the piston is properly effected. For the purpose of preliminarily exciting the catalytic element a duct 25 is extended throughout the entire length of the stem 14, said duct leadin g to the same lateral passage 23 as the other ducts mentioned, and the outer extremity of the stem 14: may be provided with a pistondisk 26, about which is fitted a sleeve or cyliuder 27, containing a spring 28, reacting 011 the piston and the opposite head of the cylinder, said opposite head having connection through a central aperture with a source of gas suitable to excite the catalytic element, a check-valve 29 being located at the aperture to permit the excitant gas to enter the sleeve and prevent its return. The sleeve being flexibly connected with the gas-supply at the outer end may be operated by hand with longitudinal movement with respect to the piston, the device operating when it is thus used as a pump to force gas through the I central duct of the stem and discharging it against and through the catalytic element at the aperture 23. The spring 28 is, however,

of intermeshing gears 32 and 33 on the two shafts, respectively. The cam 30 operates against the antifriction-roll 3a on the slidebar 35, which at the opposite end acts on the bell-crank lever 36, which is fulcrumed at 37 and has its opposite end provided with a slot 38, engaging a pin 39 on the clip 40, which is secured to the stem 14 of the piston or catalytic-element carrier 13. It will be understood upon inspection of the structure thus indicated that the relation between the gears 32 and 33 being such as to give the cam 30 one complete rotation for each full cycle of. the engines action, the corner 41 of the cam will run out from under the roll 34, permitting spring 28 to give the catalytic-element carrier a sudden thrust through the chamber 8 at the proper time to cause it at such thrust to expose the highly-excited spot opposite the aperture 23 in front of the aperture 9 as it passes that aperture, so as to cause the ignition at a time which may thus be determined with exactness by adjustment of the cam on the shaft It will also be noticed that the cam is formed so as to give the catalytic-element carrier a comparatively rapid movement in the opposite direction through the chamber 8 immediately preceding the sudden thrust described, such opposite travel having the effect of discharging a strong current of gas through the aperture 23 against and through the catalytic agent to highly excite it immediately before the thrust in which it exposes the excited spot at the port 9 to ignite the explosion-gas.

The time of the explosion relatively to the motor-piston stroke may be regulated according to the requirement of the casethat is, according to the speed at which the engine is runningand made earlier or later in the compression-stroke by the adjustment of the cam 30 on the shaft 31. This adjustment can be effected in any convenient manner, as by means shown, consisting of the tangent screw 43, mounted on the face of the cam and engagin gthe rack 44 on the shaft 31. The time of the explosion may also be regulated or modified by another means involving the escape of the small portion of the motive gas at the time the compression is being eifected in the cylinder, such escape being permitted at a point which will reduce the tension of the gas in the chamber 8 during the back stroke of the carrier 13, whereby the rush of gas through the apertures 21 will be diminished and the consequent excitation of the catalytic element somewhat reduced. This tends to delay the explosion perceptibly when the excited spot is exposed at the port 9.

I claim-- 1. In an explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a catalytic element; a chamber within which it is located, communicating with the explosion-chamber of the motor; a source of gaseous mixture adapted to excite the catalytic element, and communication from such source to the chamber containing the latter; a carrier on which. said catalytic a carrier on which the catalytic element is element is mounted and held exposed within the chamber to said excitant mixture; and

means for moving the carrier to carry the catalytic element through saidexcitant in the chamber.

2. In an explosive-motor an igniting means "comprising a catalytic element; a chamber in which it is located, communicating; with the explosion-chamber in the motor; a source of gaseous mixture adapted to excite the catalytic element, and communication from such source to the chamber containing the latter,

mounted and held exposed within the chamber to said excitant mixture; and means operated by the motor for operating the carrier to move the catalytic element back and forth through the excitantmixture in controlled time relation to the motors action.

3. In an explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a catalytic element; a chamber in which it is located, said chamber being in position and having connection for charging it with motive fluid a source of such fluid communicating with said chamber; a carrier upon which the catalytic element is mounted and held exposed to the fluid in said chamber;

and means operated by the motor to operate the carrier to move the catalytic element back and forth through the fluid in the chamber in controlled time relation to the motor action.

4. In an explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a catalytic element; a chamber in which it is located, communicating with the explosion-chamber of the motor; a source of motive fluid communicating with the firstmentioned chamber,whereby the motive fluid enters the explosion-chamber through said first-mentioned chamber; a carrier upon which the catalytic element is mounted and held exposed to the fluid in said first chamber;

and means for operating the carrier to move the catalytic element back and forth through catalytic element being mounted on the piston which carries it in position to be exposed to the gas passing through the piston-aperture as the piston is reciprocated, said catalytic element chamber being in communication with the explosion chamber of the motor; and

means for reciprocating said apertured piston in its chamber.

6. In an explosive-motor,an igniting means "comprising a catalytic element; a piston which carries it having a longitudinal aperture; a chamber in which the piston may be reciprocated; a source of gas excitant to the catalytic element communicating with said chamber, said element being carried by the piston on which it is mounted in position to be exposed to the gas passing through the piston-aperture, the catalytic-element chamber being in communication with the explosion-chamber of the motor; and means operated by the motor for reciprocating the apertured piston in the oatalytic-elem ent cham her in controlled time relation to the motor-pistons reciprocation.

7 In an explosive-motoigan igniting means comprising a catalytic element; a chamber for the same, communicating with the explosion-chamber for receiving the motor-gases therefrom; a carrier upon which the catalytic agent is mounted and held exposed within its chamber to the gaseous contents thereof; means for operating theearrier to move the catalytic agent back and forth through the gaseous contents of its chamber; and a hood at one limit of the path of such movement of the catalytic element, into which said element is thrust by the carriers movement; and means operated by the motor for giving the carrier such movement to carry the catalytic agent into and out of the hood in controlled time relation to the motors action.

8. I11 in explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a catalytic agent; a carrier for the same; a chamber communicating with the motor-piston chamber and in which the saidcarrier moves; a hood into which the carrier thrusts the catalytic agent at one limit of its movement, said hood being removable to exteriorly expose the catalytic agent.

9. In an explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a cavity or chamber in Which the motive fluid is compressed in the compressionstroke of the motorpiston; a catalytic element and carrier for the same adapted to move it in said cavity, a means for operating said carrier to cause it to move said catalytic element through the fluid compressed in said cavity.

. 10. In an explosive-motor anigniting means comprising a cavity or chamber in which the motive fluid is compressed in the compressing stroke of the motor; a catalytic element.

and a carrier for the same adapted to move itin such cavity and means operated by the motor to cause the carrier to move the catalytic element through the fluid compressed in said cavity in controlled time relation to the motors action.

11. In an eXplosive-motor an igniting means comprising a catalytic element a cavity communicating with the motor-piston chamber; a carrier for moving the catalytic element in such cavity; a hood closing one end of the cavity adapted to receive the catalytic element at one limit of the movement of the carrier; the carrier being adapted at such limit to close the mouth of the hood andvseclude the catalytic element in the hood; and means operated by the motor for giving the carrier its movement in controlled time relation to the motors action.

12. In an explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a catalytic element; a cavity communicating with the motor-piston chamber; a carrier for moving the catalytic element back and forth in such cavity; a removable hood closing the cavity at one limit of the carriers movement said hood being adapted to receive the catalytic element at such limit and the carrier being adapted at the same limit to effect closure of the cavity; whereby the removal of the hood may expose the catalytic element without opening the cavity.

18. In an explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a piston and the chamber in which it is reciprocated communicating With the motor-piston chamber, said piston being apertured from end to end to cause the current to pass through it when it is reciprocated; a catalytic element carried by said piston and covering the discharge end of the aperture, such catalytic element being finely-meshed platinum-wire gauze and being adapted to be moved on the carrier to change the portion of said gauze which is exposed to such discharge.

14. In an explosive-motor an igniting means comprising a catalytic element, consisting of platinum-wire gauze; a chamber for the same communicating With a motor-piston chamber to receive therefrom the motor-gases; a carrier on which the catalytic element is mounted and held exposed within its said chamber to the gaseous contents thereof; means for reciprocrating the carrier to move the catalytic element back and forth through said gaseous contents of the chamber, the carrier being apertured to cause the reciprocation to produce a current of gases through it, the plati-. num gauze being mounted on the carrier covering the discharge-mouth of the aperture, whereby the spot of gauze over such mouth is exposed to the gas-current issuing therefrom, said aperture being at the side of the carrier toward the motor-piston chamber and in position to be exposed at the communicating passage between said chambers; and 5' means operated by the motor for reciprocating the carrier, timed to bring said exposed spot opposite said communication in controlled time relation to the motors action, for the purpose of producing ignition of the mo- :0 tive-gas. Y

15. In an explosive-motor igniting means comprising a chamber communicating with the motor-piston chamber; a catalytic element consisting of platinum-Wire gauze; a carrier for the same reciprocating in the chamber and apertured longitudinally to cause a current of gas to pass through it when it is reciprocated, the gauze being mounted on a carrier in position to be impinged upon by the cur- 6o rent issuing through the carrier as it moves, the point of issue and impingement being at the side of the carrier toward the motor-piston chamber, whereby it is exposed at the point of communication between the two chambers in the reciprocating movement of the carrier, a spring tending to thrust the carrier in one direction past said communication 7 and a cam operated by the motor to move it in THOMAS B. JEFFERY. Witnesses:

V. RONDALL, L. B. SAWINsKY. 

